Ryan Reynolds is seeking to dismiss Justin Baldoni's $400 million defamation lawsuit, claiming that Baldoni's lawsuit is based on "hurt feelings" rather than actual defamation. The lawsuit is part of a larger dispute between Baldoni and Reynolds' wife, Blake Lively, who has accused her It Ends with Us co-star of sexual harassment on set. Baldoni has denied the allegations and filed a countersuit against Lively and Reynolds.
Ryan Reynolds' legal team has filed a motion to dismiss Justin Baldoni's lawsuit, arguing that the defamation claims are unfounded. According to the filing, obtained by CNN, Reynolds allegedly called Baldoni a "predator" on two occasions, but the lawsuit doesn't dispute that Reynolds genuinely believed this to be true.
According to the lawsuit, Baldoni accused Reynolds of privately calling him a "sexual predator" and pressuring their shared agency, WME, to drop him. However, Reynolds' team argues that he genuinely believes Baldoni engaged in predatory behaviour, and therefore, his statements cannot be considered defamation.
The film adaptation of Colleen Hoover's It Ends With Us was overshadowed by tension between stars Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. Lively played Lily Bloom, while Baldoni directed and co-starred as Ryle, Lily's abusive husband.
The speculations surrounding tension between Lively and Baldoni first surfaced after the film's press tour when the pair kept their distance, avoiding joint photos and interviews.
Blake Lively filed a lawsuit against Justin Baldoni, his production company Wayfarer Studios, and others involved with It Ends with Us, claiming sexual harassment and an attempt to damage her reputation.
In a 10-page complaint filed with the California Civil Rights Department, Lively described a "hostile work environment" and accused the production team of engaging in an "Astroturfing" campaign.
The complaint detailed incidents involving inappropriate behaviour on Baldoni's part, such as sharing nude images, discussing pornography addiction, and making sexual comments and physical advances. It also claimed Baldoni inquired about Lively's weight without her consent and added explicit content to the film outside the script, including sex scenes and oral sex.
Following the serious allegations, WME (William Morris Endeavor) quickly dropped Justin Baldoni from their roster.
Baldoni¡¯s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, strongly denied the accusations, calling them ¡°completely false.¡±
This development occurred on December 21, the same day the New York Times published its in-depth expose titled We Can Bury Anyone: Inside a Hollywood Smear Campaign.
Nearly 10 days after Blake Lively's lawsuit, Justin Baldoni and his publicists filed a lawsuit against The New York Times over their story about Lively¡¯s sexual harassment claims. The 87-page libel complaint accused the journalists of collaborating with Lively to spread false information. The NYT article was widely reshared by celebrities showing support for her.
In the lawsuit, Baldoni's lawyer, Bryan Freedman, highlighted Lively's publicist, Leslie Sloane¡¯s past ties to Harvey Weinstein. The complaint also referenced a stern statement from Ryan Reynolds to Baldoni and Wayfarer Studios during a company-wide meeting on January 4, along with other key moments to support their claims.
Bryan Freedman accused Ryan Reynolds of mocking Justin Baldoni with the character "Nicepool," a parody of the Deadpool and Wolverine characters. Fans speculated that this character was a reference to Baldoni's perceived "pseudo-nice guy" persona.
During his appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show, Freedman stated, ¡°What I make of that, is that if your wife is sexually harassed, you don¡¯t make fun of Justin Baldoni.¡±
He further highlighted the similarities between Baldoni and the character, pointing out that anyone who had seen the "hair bun" reference in the portrayal would recognize the connection to Baldoni. Freedman stressed that making light of a situation involving sexual harassment was inappropriate.
On January 16, Justin Baldoni filed a complaint demanding $400 million from Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively, accusing them of defamation, extortion, and other claims.
The 179-page filing argued that Reynolds and Lively used their power to take control of It Ends with Us away from its director and production studio. The lawsuit also claimed that the couple's attempts to gain acclaim failed; they directed their anger at Baldoni, labeling him a scapegoat.
Just hours after the lawsuit was filed, Lively and her legal team described Baldoni¡¯s legal action as ¡°another chapter in the abuser playbook.¡±
In February, Justin Baldoni and his team launched an online archive of evidence supporting his side. The archive included a detailed timeline with text messages, emails, and other communications related to the events surrounding the production and press coverage of It Ends With Us.
On February 19, Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds' publicist, Leslie Sloane, filed a motion to have herself and her company, Vision PR, removed from the ongoing legal battle with Justin Baldoni.
She argued that Baldoni¡¯s legal team had diverted attention from the sexual harassment lawsuit by dragging her and her company into the lawsuit as a ¡°smoke and mirrors exercise.¡±
Blake Lively enlisted the expertise of Nick Shapiro, the CIA's former chief of staff, to advise on the legal communications strategy for her ongoing lawsuit. Shapiro will work alongside Lively's law firm, Willkie Farr & Gallagher, in the high-profile case against Baldoni.
A spokesperson for Blake¡®s law firm told Variety, ¡°The litigation team for Ms. Lively retained Mr. Shapiro to advise on the legal communications strategy for the ongoing sexual harassment and retaliation lawsuit occurring in the Southern District of New York.¡±
Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni's case will go to trial in May 2026.
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